Thursday, February 18, 2010

We all love it when we get positive feedback on our products/services. But what happens when we stumble upon a customer who has had a bad experience?

I’ve been doing a lot of reading on why businesses are afraid of moving forward with establishing a presence on social media. The number one concern seems to be reputation; the fear of consumers posting negative feedback on a bad experience with their service or product. The only way to get past it is to learn how to embrace the good and the bad from social media.

I recently got introduced to Jenise Fryatt Co-Owner/Marketing Director of Icon Presentations (@lyksumlikrish) and her philosophy on Twitter, "Engage, Inform and Retweet.” As the founding mother of the hashtag#EIR she has educated many on the importance of communicating properly on twitter to maximize your investment. Engage: the essence of participating in conversation, whether you agree or just liked someone’s post or link. Inform: pertains to posting relative information within your community and/or posting links that you find useful or worth hearing about. And finally, Retweet: if you come across a great post or link repost (retweet) the information and make sure credit is given where it is due.

Jenise’s philosophy on Twitter can easily be adopted by anyone, and can contribute to having a positive and successful experience on social media platforms such as Twitter. If you’re engaging it means that you are listening to what everyone is saying about your product/brand. These types of social platforms can facilitate a discussion, answer questions, or perhaps even solve concerns customers may have. In addition, you will have access, in real time, to address any negative feedback. I like to think of negative feedback as useful feedback. This always provides an opportunity to improve and refine a situation.

Another important aspect to remember when using social media for your business is that it is imperative to be transparent with your customers. In other words, don’t be afraid to show your face as you represent your brand. Add a picture of yourself to make it more personal. Consumers need to be able to identify who you are rather than be under the impression they are speaking with an icon. Be professional but don’t be afraid to be who you are. This extra step will make it easier to communicate with your customers.

It is important to be accessible during a bad storm. Don’t hide behind the storm but rather be in front to help guide the ship. Your brand cannot afford to be drowned especially during a recession. Customers will likely show compassion and forgive if issues are dealt with upfront in an apologetic way and establish a means of moving past it by having a plan.

Monitor your social media platforms. It is meaningless to establish social media accounts if you’re not going to pay attention to what is going on. There are many Twitter management tools on the market such as, TweetDeck and HootSuite, to help you keep an eye on your accounts. These applications make it easier to manage your accounts since they are centrally located in one place and readily available in the palm of your hands via your iphone, blackberry, etc. or your desktop.

The number one practice to remember and apply when participating in social media systems is to always listen. Listening and responding to what customers are saying about your brand is essential to growing your business. There is no point in trying to make a presence on social media platforms if you’re not taking action on what consumers are saying about your product or service.

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and blogs have allowed us to further brand our product and to connect with different industries and generate leads. In addition to connecting with new people, social media can solidify existing relationships and help them grow into partnerships.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Backdrops Beautiful had another successful show at UDMA’s Dance Resource & Costume Show in Plano, TX. Despite the heavy showers we had a great turnout. It is amazing to see how many studio owners travelled from all over the states to attend the show in Plano. The show was a bit more intimate, which was an added plus for us since it allowed us to interact on a one on one with many of the studio owners. As they shared their concerns, comments, suggestions and experiences with other backdrop companies, it made us realize that we are continuing to do an amazing job here at Backdrops Beautiful. Customer satisfaction is our number one priority and we are always looking for new ways to improve our service. We look forward to our journey with showcasing at the next two UDMA shows in Secaucus, NJ and Schaumburg, IL.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Backdrops are used in many ways and occasions. Before purchasing event and occasion backdrops, lot of things must be consider. Peoples use backdrops for many purposes like Photographers and theater people use backdrop for decorating stages. Perhaps the most common use of backdrops is in photographic studios and movie theaters. Common man use backdrops for delighting and decorating their homes, parties and events to establish a grand atmosphere. Backdrops are design for making event more valuable. People usually use backdrop to make their occasions, parties and events memorable and unforgettable. Backdrops are now become a part of all special, traditional and corporate events.

Backdrops are often large in size, spanning several feet in length and width. They may be painted with a color or beautiful design or covered with fabric or other type of material. It all depends on the mood of people and the theme of the occasion and event. Every event has its own significance and requirements for backdrops.
Backdrops are backgrounds that form ambiance of an event, occasion, news broadcast, film scene, or photograph. If you are delivering a birthday party then children surrounding atmosphere is required as backdrop. On the other hand, if you are dreaming of a Greek-inspired wedding, bring out the gods and goddesses backdrops out to the halls. Backdrops can in the several forms. They can be wedding backdrops, photography backdrops, and movie backdrops, among others. Backdrops are versatile pieces as images can be printed in a variety of fabrics, which can also last long and be re-used.